The purpose of this series of webcasts is to communicate directly with state educational agency (SEA) and local educational agency (LEA) staffthose who guide and support the work of schoolson issues related to the implementation of NCLB. Our third production on April 29, 2004, focused on the federal monitoring process for Title I, Part A.

Video Segments

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Introducing the Federal Monitoring Process for Title I, Part AJackie Jackson

Presenters from the U.S. Department of Education

Ray Simon, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Ray Simon recently joined the Department of Education as the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. He comes from Arkansas, where he was the Director of the Arkansas Department of Education until his appointment by President Bush.

Mr. Simon has been involved in Arkansas education since 1966, when he began his career as a mathematics teacher at North Little Rock High School in the Conway School District. He held many positions in the Conway School district, including the position of Superintendent from 1991 to 1997.

Before her appointment as the Director of the SASA Program office, commonly known as Title I, Jackie was the Deputy Director; she began her career at the Department in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
Additionally, Jackie worked at New American Schools, developing and piloting standards of quality for comprehensive school reform (CSR) models.
Before joining the Department, Jackie held numerous teaching and administrative positions in the District of Columbia Public Schools.

Federal Group Leaders

Chuck Laster, Group Leader for Monitoring and Audits in the Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs (SASA), U.S. Department of Education

Chuck Laster manages the monitoring, program oversight and resolution of audits for Title I in the states and territories. In that capacity, he has led the Department of Education's efforts to monitor compliance with No Child Left Behind.
Chuck has been with the Department of Education for 14 years. Prior to his current position, he worked as an Associate Division Director in the Department's Office of Special Education Programs.
Prior to his federal service, Chuck was a special education administrator, and a Title I and special education teacher in Florida and Virginia.

Fran Walter, Group Leader for the Instructional Change Group in the Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs (SASA), U.S. Department of Education

Currently the Group Leader for the Instructional Change Group, Fran was formerly a Special Assistant to the Director of Title I. She began her work at the Department in the Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) Program.
Prior to coming to the Department, Fran spent her career in public education as a classroom teacher, district library media director, program administrator and, most recently, as an assistant superintendent for instruction in Washington state.

Zollie Stevenson Jr., Group Leader for Standards, Assessment and Accountability in the Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs (SASA), U.S. Department of Education

Zollie Stevenson, Jr. has worked at the U.S. Department of Education for the past four years. He is responsible for managing the team that provides guidance and technical assistance to states on standards, assessment and accountability issues. His group took primary responsibility for assisting states as they developed their accountability plans under NCLB.
For the last 20 years, Zollie has worked in the field of assessment, research and evaluation at the federal, state and local government/educational agency levels.

Presenters from the Field

Suzanne Ochse, Acting Director of the Office of Title I Program Planning and Accountability, New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE)

Suzanne Ochse has over thirty years of state government experience and extensive professional experience in planning, public policy implementation, and evaluation. She began her career working as a caseworker at New Jersey's child welfare agency, the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS). Prior to working in the Title I Office, Suzanne worked in the NJDOE Office of Grants Management where she was responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of the federal consolidated grant for school districts.

Mike Sorum is in his third year as the Director of Accountability for the Providence School Department while completing his Doctoral degree through Harvard University's Urban Superintendency program.
Before coming to Providence, Mike was a math coach and math Department Head in the lowest performing high school in Texas that later became recognized as a DOE Blue Ribbon school for most improved in mathematics and overall performance, (Fox Tech High School).
He started his career in San Antonio where he taught for ten years.